1. Field
The present invention relates to a curtain airbag apparatus, and more particularly, to a curtain airbag apparatus that is installed in a vehicle and elongated in a front and rear direction.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, curtain airbags are installed at left and right sides of a vehicle, respectively. In more detail, the curtain airbags are installed in inner side panels, which are disposed at lateral upper sides of the vehicle, and are elongated in a front and rear direction of the vehicle.
The curtain airbag apparatus includes an inflator which generates gas, and a curtain airbag which is inflated and deployed when gas generated by the inflator flows into the curtain airbag.
The curtain airbag is deployed from the upper side toward the lower side of the vehicle at the time of an accident, and is disposed between a door of the vehicle and the head of an occupant, thereby protecting the head of the occupant.
Additionally, a driver airbag is typically installed in a steering wheel in the vehicle to protect the driver, and a passenger airbag is installed above the glove box disposed in front of the front passenger seat in the vehicle to protect the front passenger.
Typically, the driver airbag and the passenger airbag are deployed when the vehicle is involved in a head-on collision, the curtain airbags are deployed when the vehicle is involved in a broadside collision or a rollover accident, and the driver airbag, the passenger airbag, and the curtain airbags are deployed when the vehicle collides obliquely with an object.
When the vehicle collides with an object as described above, the upper body of the occupant is bent forward by inertial force, and the occupant's head moves forward. In particular, when the vehicle collides obliquely with an object, the occupant's head also moves forward in an oblique manner and can become trapped between the driver airbag and the curtain airbag or trapped between the passenger airbag and the curtain airbag.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.